








































Denominational Groups Anabaptist/Mennonite


33

DENOMINATIONAL  
GROUP REPORTS

Anabaptist/Mennonite 
Karl Stutzman, Anabaptist Mennonite Seminary, Convener

MEMBERS PRESENT

• Kevin Enns-Rempel, Fresno Pacific University 
• Jennifer Ulrich, Eastern Mennonite University
• Karl Stutzman, Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary
• Vic Froese, Canadian Mennonite University
• Eileen Saner, Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary 

(retired)
• Tim Erdel, Bethel University-Indiana

AGENDA

Discussion of each school’s highlights 

ROUND ROBIN REPORTS

Karl Stutzman, Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary

Karl has been collaborating with others to form a “hub” for Ana-
baptist-Mennonite scholarly publications. There is a Zoom meeting 
planned for Monday, June 24 at 11 am Eastern, then a consultation 
in the fall. Part of the vision is hopefully open access. There will 
also hopefully be streamlining and economies of scale. Goshen Col-
lege’s Mennonite Historical Library is undergoing a change with 
the pending retirement of Joe Springer, curator. Joe has agreed to 



34    ANNUAL Y E ARBOOK

stay around until his position is filled; the first search failed. AMBS 
growth is international and has recently added a D.Min. program 
and numerous non-degree offerings. It has been an interesting 
challenge for the library to support new programs and students 
in global locations with varying levels of technology and access to 
textbooks.

Eileen Saner, Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary, retired

Eileen has been meeting remotely with an advisory committee of 
the library at the International Baptist Theological Study Center in 
Amsterdam at the invitation of librarian Katharina Penner. The 
school has a PhD program in association with the Free University. 
She also raised financial support for an initiative of the Ukrainian 
Evangelical Theological Seminary in Kyiv, Ukraine. Librarian Ro-
man Shvets is coordinating the publication of two journal issues 
on the topic “Church and War”. The first issue is Ukrainian transla-
tions of key English language articles. Ukrainian authors address 
the topic in the second issue. Over seventy books that Roman se-
lected for the UETS library were donated or purchased with the 
remaining funds.

Kevin Enns-Rempel, Fresno Pacific University 

Kevin is retiring at the end of 2024; 40 years is enough! Institution-
ally a time of transition. Raises question about organizations and 
programs at FPU. Reshaping to survive. Seminary is basically MA 
in Church Ministry or Marriage and Family Therapy. Moving to-
wards professional programs. Changes at Mennonite Library and 
Archives - relationship with history in MB denomination. Many of 
the scholars who used these collections are gone. Working with a 
lot of digitization projects in Mennonite Library and Archives. Pho-
tos, audio, video, university publications

Vic Froese, Canadian Mennonite University

Vic shared that there are changes at Canadian Mennonite Univer-
sity. Tough decisions have been made regarding the Bible and the-
ology (BTS) department. The number of students choosing to major 
in BTS is shrinking. The same is happening to the number of stu-
dents majoring in music. A social work program will be launched 
in the fall. Perhaps, further down the road, also an education pro-
gram. There is optimism that enrollment will increase. A significant 
chunk of the book budget was Bible/theology. This will also shrink 
with the addition of new programs requiring library resources. 



35    ANNUAL Y E ARBOOK

CMU still has a substantial Anabaptist-Mennonite collection, and 
the hope is that it will continue to grow. But it must face the reality 
that fewer Anabaptist-Mennonite scholars are coming up through 
the ranks and interest in Anabaptist-Mennonite history is waning 
in younger generations.

Jennifer Ulrich, Eastern Mennonite University

Jennifer shared that EMU is in a similar place to Fresno and oth-
er institutions. Enrollment has been down. This has made things 
interesting. Budgets staying flat or decreasing, seeing smaller en-
rollments in Bible/religion in undergrad. Seminary is also small. 
More international students, more online (all classes have online/
in person options). That is hard on faculty and the library to sup-
port students internationally. Seminary started a MATS program, 
and is starting a Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) in Peacemaking and 
Social Change. The library is switching to Library of Congress clas-
sification (from Dewey, all new books are classed in LC and the 
staff is working to reclass older material). Thoughts and prayers 
for Marci Frederick who has cancer. Simone Horst is busy in the 
historical library. Jennifer is ending her term of serving on the Atla 
DEI committee in June.

Tim Erdel, Bethel University, Indiana

Tim shared that they keep acquiring materials in the Missionary 
Church Archives. Received eleven car/van loads from the former 
Fort Wayne Bible College that Taylor U was going to dump. Amaz-
ing finds keep turning up--original handwritten record of baptisms 
at Bethel Missionary Church near Goshen includes early leaders of 
the Mennonite Brethren in Christ. Bethel faces financial challenges 
and is shrinking, especially the Adult programs. Traditional library 
use has dropped dramatically; struggles with students coming to-
tally unprepared for college. Tim formally retired from Bethel in 
May 2022 to free up salary and benefits but kept teaching. Now will 
focus on archives. Kevin Blowers does a lot of work in library and 
archives. Have gone from staff of seven in early 90s to about two. 
Adult/graduate studies almost entirely online. First female presi-
dent at Bethel, Barbara K. Bellefeuille, very popular, but faces nu-
merous challenges. Tremendous demographic change to students 
of color, especially Latino, adding sports teams that attract over-
seas students (over 60 countries).


